Nu Mou
=Nu Mou= (Nu Mou are copyright to SquareEnix; this use of the image are not an attempt to challenge this copyright nor use it to profit) 'Appearance' Nu Mou are a race of humanoids that are characteristically short and squat. Normal adult height ranges from 3'9" to 4'9" with anything outside this as outliers. Though research has yielded that they are distantly related to Beastmen, this similarity is difficult to countenance. The majority of their body is a bulky torso, making it difficult for them to move terribly swiftly, courtesy of their stubby legs. They also appear hunchbacked fof the most part. Extending from the torso are two stubby legs, ending in three-toed, clawed feet. Also present are a tail ranging from 1 to 2 feet long, and stubby arms with small, four-fingered (including the thumb) hands. The head is somewhat canid in appearance, with the mouth and nose lying on a muzzle. Depending on geneology, the nose could be pointed or round, and may or may not be covered in fur. Ears droop down, with ears ending at the waist being not entirely unheard of. The ear has a large hole in it for circulation purposes, going from a little above the bottom up until several inches from the skull. Females have a tendency to be shorter than males. Breasts, though present, are often small and almost always invisible under the robes. The key differentiation lies in the tail; While both have extra fur lying on the top, usually of a different color, females tend to have the fur only extend halfway, while males have the whole top at least part covered, down to the tip. Females also have slightly smaller hands. Attributes Nu Mou are, at a glance, physically lacking race. They rarely can do extreme heavy lifting, and even have difficulty with activities in which other races would likely find ease. This is further accentuated by their height and rather limited extremities. Physically weak, slow, and even somewhat awkward seeming, Nu Mou rarely take up physical professions for themselves. Despite their lacking physically, Nu Mou have incredibly long lifespans, the average leaning towards 2 centuries. However, in an effort to curb their physical shortcomings, Nu Mou have evolved a high capacity for magic, to the point of being one of, if not the, most adept of races in casting magic. Many of them learn magic for self-defense, though they also know magic for other purposes. In addition to this, the vast majority of Nu Mou are scholars to an almost insane degree, and have some form of skill that does not require lifting beyond their capabilities. After all, when lifting needs done in the current day and age, there is usually a different humanoid race present to do so. Even in the extreme case in which this is an impossibility, magic exists to make things proceed with more ease. 'Origin' Nu Mou are frequently believed to be the descendents of ancient canids who'd been given intellect. This is false; Nu Mou actually branched off from humans for a naturally better state. Originally they were, at the very least, on par with humans. However, they fell behind several ages into development. This led them to need something better, which is when they discovered magic. This would cause them dependency on this magic they'd found, which would slowly degenerate their bodies more and more to better accomodate magic, in exchange for physical capacity. In order to adapt to different climates the evolution branched off into further subraces, commonly referred to as Eastern and Western. The Western Nu Mou had the fleshy, pointy noses in order to attempt to keep cool, as their home was warmer, more tropical climates in the jungles and even extending towards the Augustgrad Desert. Though more wise in the methods of what was then science, it took the Westerns longer to develop magic. The Eastern Nu Mou could stand the longer fur and, as a result, developed different body shapes. Often times they were larger than Westerns as well. These changes, however, are mostly irrelevant, as interbreeding has caused overlap of the attributes and, therefore, variety. 'Culture' Nu Mou general ideas have a large amount in common with the ideals and goals of the city-state of Sigilus, largely because early Nu Mou civilization started and continues there. There is a bit of emphasis on family as a regulatory body and, naturally, the ideas of love and trust that is natural in sentient families. However, the family often takes a back seat to education an knowledge. Education in the eyes of the Nu Mou is one of the most important things in life. Therefore, relationships are formed between teacher and pupil, much like that of a parent and child. It is not altogether unheard of for a pupil and teacher to begin courting one another in the event that both are single. Courtship with Nu Mou often remains within racial boundaries, Nu Mou courting other Nu Mou (though there are several counterexamples to this). The reason for this is the high life expectancy of the race. Courtship between Nu Mou usually takes place towards the fiftieth year of life and usually lasts between 1 and 10 years across two phases. First off is the initial selection in which a male or female, who has taken interest in another person, will attempt to draw their attention through many forms, though the primary methods are through intellect or creativity, depending on the individuals' strengths. Second is the dating phase, which is not unlike the human ideas of dating, though rarely resulting in intercourse. Nu Mou seasons occur naturally every 50 years or so, though they can be induced by another's hormones or, in drastic cases, medically. Most entertainment comes through more artistic means, such as logic games (chess and the like), operas and theater, and education as a whole. It is rare for most Nu Mou to truly enjoy physical activity, though as with most things, there are those that break the trend. They tend to be lackluster at sports that require an exceptional amount of exertion, and even the athletes among Nu Mou are average at best compared to most other races.